These are the adventures of Andy and Sally Rawnsley on their narrowboat "The Puzzler". We have been living on the boat for over eight years now and are still loving it. Our Ulster born Shih Tzu, Shannon, has grown up, and has taken over the boat! After three wonderful years in Ireland, we transported The Puzzler to The Netherlands, and spent a year there. In 2015 we went southwards, to reach the north of France by June. After glorious weather throughout the summer, we arrived in Roanne in late October, and enjoyed our winter in this friendly port. We cruised extensively in France in 2016, returning to Roanne for a second winter.

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

16th - 24th January 2012. In Enniskillen still, but moving!

Waterways Ireland have arrived in force to cut four of the upright supports shorter. This is in preparation for the annual regatta here in the summer. The shorter posts will make it much easier for the rowing eights to be launched.

Their workboat, Inish Davar, is certainly man for the job. We had to move away while metal cutting was going on beside The Puzzler.

Inish Davar makes The Puzzler look quite small. Hopefully the river water level will never rise so high that the jetty can float off the posts at their new short height!

In Northern Ireland the waterway regulations state that after 48 hours at any offficial mooring, then boats must vacate it for a period of at least 4 hours. During the summer months, Waterways Ireland have had an ongoing problem in Enniskillen with boats overstaying, particularly at The Round "O". They have decide to enforce the regulations strictly, starting this week. It seems to be irrelevant to them that this is not yet the cruising season!
Because of this enforcement of regulations, we are on the move again. Our first trip was just round the corner to Riverview. We went to the Library, went bowling, and collected some wood for the fire. It is amazing how quickly four hours can pass! We then returned to The Round "O".

I have been collecting Catkin's fur to make a cushion. Luckily she enjoys being groomed.

Our next outing was up through Enniskillen Bridge to go shopping. There is less water in the river now, but it still needed some power to get through the bridge.

There are very few boats on the move yet. This is Broadmeadow mooring, near to the Forum Sports Centre.

1 comment:

I found your blog via the RBOA magazine and have been enjoying reading it from the first entry onwards. I'm so sorry for your loss, we lost our 15 year old Westie last July so I know just how devastating it is.best wishesYvonne

About Me

We have made wooden jigsaws for a living for over 20 years and have also cruised extensively on the UK inland waterways. In 2003 we bought a new narrowboat shell and spent the next 18 months fitting her out in Norfolk. We named her The Puzzler and launched in June 2005.
We retired in April 2009 and have been living on the boat since then.
Having cruised nearly all the rivers and canals of England and Wales we were then looking for waters new, so in 2011 we transported The Puzzler to Ireland. We stayed on the Irish Waterways for three happy years, then in April 2014 moved The Puzzler on to The Netherlands. We enjoyed a year's cruising there, and overwintered in Schagen, in North Holland. In spring 2015 we sailed south into France, and are now enjoying everything that this fine country has to offer. We have made Roanne our winter base.